{{NavChap|[[The Great Journey]]|[[The Great Journey#Table of contents|Table of contents]]|[[Second folio]]}}

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<center><span style="color:purple;font-weight:bold"><big><big>'''First folio, dated Winderly 18^th of 2617-1'''</big></big></span></center>

{{Quotation|'''Azazor Eridlo Mirihus'''|It is decided, Eeri and I will leave for the Old Lands in a few cycles. The announcement in front of the friends of the CEK<ref>''Collectif d'Étude des Kitins'', a group of homin(a)s dedicated to the study of kitin movements and the exploration of kitins' nests</ref> was not easy. The reproachful look of Wixarika especially. Yet you should have known better, my ardent li'l Fyrossa. If I trained you, it was so that you could take my place. The Empire needs an akenak with fresh ideas, not an undisciplined old gruff one like me. Of course, they tried to stop me. But what I didn't foresee was that Eeri would have born a kid in the meantime. A kid, Eeri?! ramèch<ref>''Damn'' (to keep it civil)</ref>! Of course, she should stay to bring him up. But that's like trying to stop the advance of the sawdust dunes. More stubborn than a bodoc that girl. And so much the better. I like better her coming with me, but I'd never tell her.

The ranger Dorothée has elaborated a map a little more detailed than the one I gave to the Imperial Academy. Most importantly, it is more solid, so it is less likely to get damaged during our journey. I don't completely agree with some things, especially about the location of Baldos Reef. But overall, it looks good to me.By the way, on next Pluvia 8th, we have an appointment with Barmie Dingles so that he can tell us a little more about the geography of the Old Lands. He will probably make some changes to the map and maybe give us some advice on how to avoid the kitins. I just hope he won't try to talk us out of our trip. Not that I'd give in. But that would make me angry pretty quickly. At 63, one's past the age of being mothered. Even, I have never been mothered, my poor mother died in childbirth.

[[File:Carte des anciennes terres v2.png|thumb|600px|center|<center>Map of the Old Lands drawn by the ranger Dorothée</center>]]

But I digress, as always. Anyway, after this meeting, it will be time to depart. We may need a few more weeks to fine-tune the preparations. Eeri and I plan to meet regularly to do this. Soon we will be spending years together, although we haven't seen each other for months. She has changed, by the way. More tired. Probably her kid. I don't care who the father is. I only hope she hasn't lost her fighting spirit. I rely on her a bit. These last ten years, I spent much more time in the hallwayss of the Imperial Academy than on the battlefield. Eeri, she is somewhat my armed wing. I am the head, she is the legs. ramèch, if she reads this, she kills me! Don't worry Eeri, I know you're not just a bunch of muscles. One can't survive what you've been through without a little spirit. And spirit will be needed over there. Probably more than will muscle.}}

{{NavChap|[[The Great Journey]]|[[The Great Journey#Table of contents|Table of contents]]|[[Second folio]]}}